The Go-Ahead
by iloveromance
Summary: Niles arrives at Frasier's condo with the intent of sharing some exciting news with his brother. But an unexpected conversation with his father changes everything. Continuation of Kristen3's very sweet story "Covered Up", dedicated to Kristen with thanks for her friendship.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: It's been a long time since I've written a sequel to one of Kristen3's stories, but "Covered Up" was so cute that I couldn't resist making it a bit longer. But as is often the case with my stories, it turned out to be a lot longer than I originally planned. The ending of her story was a little vague (in a good way!) so I hope this is kind of what she had in mind!**_

As had always happened when he pulled his car into the Elliott Bay Towers parking garage, Niles' heart skipped a beat-and then a second one. His primary reason for coming here was to see his older brother. He couldn't wait to tell Frasier about the miraculous breakthrough he'd made with a patient less than an hour before. And for once his intention in telling Frasier wasn't to brag (although in Niles' mind, he had every right. Never before had he felt so satisfied after a session with a patient), but instead to share something that he knew that only Frasier would understand. And he hoped, even in the slightest, that Frasier would tell him that he was proud of him.

It may have seemed that Niles was always trying to make himself look better but in truth he simply wanted someone to be proud of him, if only for a moment. God knew that Maris never expressed pride in her husband, even in the early "in love" stages of their marriage. Now he wondered (not for the first time) if that love had been real at all.

With a sigh he pushed his ex-wife out of his mind (Why was he thinking about her anyway?) and climbed out of his car. Once again the familiar heartwarming feeling returned. With any luck at all, not only would he be able to share his exciting news with his family, but he'd have the pleasure of seeing the woman he truly loved.

Perhaps it was crazy; being in love with someone whom he was certain didn't share his feelings. But he simply couldn't help it. Just the sight of her; the way she always greeted him so warmly, her beautiful chocolate brown eyes, her chestnut brown hair (that always smelled so heavenly), and her sweet voice never failed to make his heart sing. If that wasn't love, he didn't know what was.

The moment he entered the lobby (which, he had to admit, wasn't nearly as exquisite as the one at his own building at The Montana), he was greeted by Frasier's friendly doorman, Morrie. And after a short, polite conversation with the kind elderly man, Niles made his way to the elevator.

When he stepped inside he rubbed his hands together, feeling a strange sense of nervousness. And that feeling was immediately followed by the ridiculous worry that perhaps he should have stopped to buy some flowers before he arrived at Frasier's. He grinned. It would certainly get Daphne's attention, but he feared that her reaction would be one that would break his heart.

And he definitely did not need another broken heart. He wasn't sure that he could take it.


	2. Chapter 2

He was in such a state of euphoria at the anticipation of possibly seeing his angel that he was hardly aware that he'd arrived on the nineteenth floor. Nor did he have any recollection at all about how he'd gotten there. But now that he'd arrived, there was no turning back. It went without saying that he didn't want to leave; he couldn't.

He crossed the hallway and rang the doorbell, waiting for the familiar sound of footsteps and the click-clack unlocking of the door. But when the door opened, his heart began to dance in his chest.

"Daphne…"  
She stood before him, looking so beautiful that he thought he might faint. "Hello, Dr. Crane. I didn't expect to see you this afternoon."

Immediately he lowered his head as the realization struck him hard. He'd become so accustomed to showing up unannounced that it had never occurred to him that he might be intruding. And as though she'd read his thoughts, he felt the soft warmth of her hand slip into his.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I didn't mean to upset you. It's always nice to see you."

His heart, as always, warmed at her sweet words. And combined with the scent of her hair (she had turned her head slightly, affording him the intoxicating aroma), it was a moment of pure elation. He felt his face flush.

"Thank you, Daphne."

She opened the door wider, allowing him to come in and he smiled at the familiar sight of his father, who was sitting in his beloved well-worn chair.

"Hey Dad."

His father looked up from the game where Niles could hear the noise blaring from the television. Baseball or football, it didn't matter. Sports were all the same; loud and annoying. But he wouldn't dare mention it to his dad. Not in front of Daphne.

"Would you like some tea or-."

"No." he said, sharper than he'd intended. "I'll just make a sherry."

The guilt settled in his chest immediately and he smiled at her thoughtfulness. He didn't want to come across as ungrateful for her kind offer and although he regretted speaking in haste, therefore interrupting her question, he was relieved when his smile was returned. It was a small, yet satisfactory feeling; one that told him that she wasn't hurt by his rudeness. But he vowed never to interrupt her again, just the same.

"Of course." She finally said. "Just make yourself at home."

"Thank you Daphne. I –." He paused, looking her up and down once again. She was wearing an outfit that he'd not seen previously, in a color that was strangely unfamiliar to him. It was incredible; a mixture of soft blue and turquoise and he was amazed at how it brought out her eyes.

"Is-is something wrong, Dr. Crane?"

He touched his forehead, feeling a bit woozy. ""I'm fine. I'm just-." When he stumbled slightly, she took the glass from his hand and replaced it with her hand. He felt her leading him to the sofa where she coaxed him to sit. "It's not my place to say, but perhaps you shouldn't drink alcohol just now. I'll get you some water."

He sat down, blinking as he waited for the living room to still. And when he looked up his angel was nowhere in sight. His father, however was looking at him, wearing an expression that Niles knew all too well.

"Dad, are you okay?"

"Niles, I want to talk to you."

Niles froze, amazed at how those stern words could affect him. He glanced toward the kitchen where he could hear his angel moving about. "But Daphne-."

"Daphne will be fine."

"But-."

"Your water will be there too, but I want to talk to you now. It's important, okay?"

A strange sense of worry came over him and he swallowed hard. His father wasn't getting any younger and although he'd improved remarkably since the devastating shooting that ended his career with the Seattle Police Department (the improvement thanks to an angel named Daphne Moon), there was the constant (and very real) worry that his father's health could take a turn for the worst at any moment. And it was impossible to push the thought away.

He swallowed hard, his heart racing. "Okay, Dad. What did you want to talk about?"

His father looked around as though feeling uneasy. "Um, not here. Let's go out on the balcony."

The answer surprised him. "Th-the balcony? But it's-."

"Aw, it's not that cold, Niles! And it will only take a few minutes. Come on!"

"But-."

"Come on son. It won't take long."

"You said that, but-."

"It's important!"

As Niles helped his father out of his beloved chair and they slowly made their way to the balcony door, his heart raced. Never before had he been so worried.


	3. Chapter 3

His heart was still pounding as he walked out onto the balcony with his father. He tried to keep his mind free and clear of the assumption that bad news was coming but it was nearly impossible. And by the time his father cleared his throat to speak, Niles' own throat was tight with tears.

"Niles, I need to talk to you about-."

Niles held up his hand and prayed that his voice would remain steady with no indication of how scared he was. "Dad, whatever it is that you're going to tell me, I just want you to know that…. I'm here for you. And so is Frasier."

His father looked at him blankly and then uncharacteristically patted Niles' hand. "Thanks, Son. I appreciate it. But this isn't about me. Well, not entirely. You see, something happened last night. Something that made me realize just how special life really is. Now I don't say it nearly as much as I should but life is short, so what the hell, right?

Niles nodded the tears now dangerously close to the surface and he boldly reached for his father's large hand. "I know Dad. And you're right. I-I love you and I don't say it often enough either. But you know I do, right?"

Amazingly his father showed a rare form of sentiment by squeezing Niles's hand. "I love you too. And that's why I'm telling you this. Now don't mention this to Fras because he'd never understand and he's liable to do something drastic. But like I said before, something happened last night."

"Dad, just say it, all right?"

"Okay. Well, Daphne and I got into a fight."

Niles froze, staring at his father in disbelief. This was not at all what he had expected to hear. "A-a fight? But what could you possibly-."

His father shrugged, worrying Niles even further.

"Beat's the hell out of me."

Still Niles was dumbfounded by this news. "But how-."

"It doesn't matter how or even what we were arguing about. That's not the point. My point is about what happened afterward."

"A-afterward?" Niles repeated.

"Yeah, it was the damndest thing. I was sitting in my chair, barely awake watching God knows what on TV when I heard her come in."

"After your fight."

"Yes, Niles! After our fight! Geez, who's telling this story anyway?"

"Sorry Dad. Go on."

"Actually it wasn't right after the fight. It was late… really late. I have no idea what the hell time it was but she told me that she couldn't sleep. I was still pretty ticked at her."

"But she apologized." Niles said, wanting so much for it to be true.

"Of course she apologized, but she was still mad at me. Can't really blame her."

"But she apologized." Niles repeated.

"Of _course_ she apologized!" His dad snapped. "She always apologizes… eventually. But that's not the point!"

Niles could no longer hide his irritation. "What is the point?"

"The point is… well, she did something that I didn't even know that she had done until this morning."

Niles eyebrows rose. "Really…"

"Yeah."

The unexpected silence that fell between them was nothing short of unnerving. "Dad, what happened? Tell me!" Niles asked, his voice rising with each word and he could take the silence no longer.

"Remember that quilt that your mother made?"

Niles chuckled. "Which one?"

His father laughed too. "You're right. She did make more than one, didn't she?"

"Several as I recall." Niles said, still chuckling at the memory. "Although I have no idea how she had time, what with the way she was always working, seeing patients and so forth."

"Well, in case you've forgotten, she did have a hell of a lot of free time on her hands for several months as I recall."

Niles blinked. "She did?"

He watched his father shake his head. "Oh for God's sake, Niles, you and Frasier! You don't think she worked on homicide cases all the way through both pregnancies, do you?"

Immediately Niles felt like a fool. "No, of course not. What was I thinking? But what does that have to do with-."

"With Daphne? Well I woke up this morning and the first thing I noticed, other than the fact that I was burning up was that quilt around my shoulders. I know damn well that

I didn't get up in the middle of the night and drag it out of the closet. Actually I had forgotten it was even there. She must have dug in there pretty deep to find it."

Niles heart warmed, suddenly realizing where this much-too long story was going, but he tried to hide his smile. "Daphne did that?"

"Well it sure as hell wasn't Frasier or Eddie so that only leaves one person."

"Daphne." Niles repeated content to say her name again and again.

"Damn right it was Daphne."

His heart warmed even further and it wasn't hard at all to imagine his angel doing such a wonderful thing for his father. "That doesn't surprise me at all." He said. "She is an angel, but-."

"My point?"

Niles was taken aback by his father's perceptiveness. It was almost as though he'd inherited so-called psychic powers from Daphne.

"Um… yes, actually. What is the point?"

"My point, Niles is this. When I woke up and saw that quilt around me, for a split second I thought that your mother had put it there. She's done that you know… all those nights when I'd come home and sit in front of the television in my car after dinner and fall asleep? I'd wake up in the middle of the night to find that she'd come in and put a blanket or quilt around my shoulders. But then when I remembered where I was last night, I couldn't help but think about your mother and how much I loved her."

Niles tried to blink back unforeseen tears but he was no longer embarrassed by them as they landed on his cheeks. He knew that his father would understand.

"I loved her too."

"I know you did. And you still do, right?"

"O-of course. I'll always-"

"You love Daphne too and that's what got me thinking. She reminds me a lot of Hester."

Niles was taken aback, for he never dreamed his father would say something so wonderfully unexpected. "O-of Mom?"

"Surely you've noticed it too. I know they don't look anything alike, but they both have huge hearts filled with love."

Niles smile came easily and his heart felt as though it would burst with love for his father… and for Daphne. "You're right, Dad. But-."

"Go to her Son. Tell her that you love her."


	4. Chapter 4

He stared at his father, unable to believe what he was hearing. But from the look on the eldest Crane man's face, there was no mistaking that the words had been spoken.

Nervously Niles ran his hand through his hair and he was certain that his father could hear his pounding heart.

"Dad, are you serious? You think I should tell Daphne-."

"That you love her. Yes, Niles."

"But-."

No _but's_ Niles, just do it! Now this infatuation of yours has gone on too damn long and I can see that it's gone way beyond a crush, no matter what Frasier says! Now I know it seems strange for me to be saying this but Frasier is always trying to discourage you. I never said anything and I should have because he has no right to tell you who you should and shouldn't pursue."

Niles opened his mother to speak but no words came out.

"I know it's a shock, my telling you this, but I guess you could say that I've come to my senses. Thanks to Daphne. Look. You're right. She's single, you're single… why the hell not?"

Niles had dreamed of this moment so many times but now that it had finally arrived he was terrified and he stared at his father once again, his face filled with terror.

"What's the matter now, Niles? Don't tell me you're scared! Geez, you've tried to tell her a hundred times already and you would have done it a long time ago if Frasier hadn't stopped you! Now he's not home and he can't object. If he does, I'll put my foot down. I may be living under his roof but I'm still his father and yours!"

Niles' heart was pounding so rapidly that his breathing changed without warning. It was a feeling that he had experienced many times before.

"Niles, calm down, okay?" His father said as Niles moved around the balcony his arms outstretched in front of him like a zombie. "Look, I know you're scared about what

Daphne will say, but don't. Niles! Calm down!"

He felt himself being held in his father's arms, his father's hand on his back until suddenly his breathing calmed.

"I'm not some big shot psychiatrist like you and your brother but I've seen the way you and Daphne look at each other. Hell, it's the same way that your mother and I used to look at each other. It may not happen right away, but keep trying."

"But what if she-."

"She won't."

"H-how can you be so sure?"

"I don't know. A gut feeling I guess. Now don't analyze it to death, okay? You deserve to be happy and so does she. Now just go in there and talk to her."

Overcome with emotion, Niles embraced his father tightly, surprised when the old man didn't draw back. "I love you, Dad. Thank you."

"You're welcome Niles." His father glanced into the living room window. "Now, it looks like she's just sitting there watching TV, probably one of those sappy movies, so why don't you go in there and-."

"Dad, wait…"

"What is it?"

"Is-is Frasier home?"

"No of course not. Why?"

Amazingly Niles' good mood began to fade. As euphoric with anticipation as he was about the idea of talking to Daphne, he'd blown his chance to share his good news. In fact, he'd almost completely forgotten about it. "Damn…"

"What's wrong?"

"I had something to tell him. Something important."

"Well what is it?"

"Something happened to me at work this morning and I wanted to tell him about it. But I'll just wait until he returns. Do you know when that will be?"

"No clue. He had a date tonight so probably not for a while if he's lucky."

Niles nodded, feeling strangely jealous of his older brother. "Right… Well…"

"So what happened?"

"What?"

"At work. What happened?"

"Oh, I'll just wait to talk to him later."

"What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you Dad. It's just… You wouldn't understand."

His father folded his arms in front of his chest. "Try me."

A deep sigh came from within. "All right. Well, I have this patient that I've been seeing for years. And I know virtually nothing about him. Our sessions have consisted on one or two words with never any improvement."

"Really? What in the hell was wrong with him?"

"I don't know. Or I didn't know until today. You see, he came in this morning and I expected our usual few opening questions and then silence while I made notes for the rest of the hour. But something happened.

"What?"

"He started to cry… I mean really cry. I couldn't believe it. It was the first time he'd ever showed any emption whatsoever."

"What was he crying about?"

"Well it took much longer than I anticipated and I had other patients, so I got Mrs. Woodson to reschedule and-."

"Niles what the hell happened?"

"I started talking to him, just asking him a question or two and suddenly he been telling me about this woman named Genevieve. He described her so vividly that I can practically see her. Turns out that he was in love with her for years and she recently passed away."

His father shook his head. "Damn..."

"Exactly. But the worst part was that he never got the chance to tell her how he felt about her. And he thinks that she probably loved him too."

Niles ran his hand through his hair, completely exhausted from telling the story.

"Then you see my point, don't you?"

"Your point?"

"Life is too damn short. You don't want to go through the rest of your life wondering what might have happened if you never said anything at all. And I bet she doesn't either."

Niles nodded and smiled, trying to force away the nervousness that was creeping into his chest. "You're right, Dad. Thanks." His heart pounding even more, he turned to open the door that led to the living room and go to his angel, but he was stopped by the sound of his father's voice.

"Niles?"

He turned to face his father, surprised to see the smile on his face. "Yeah, Dad?"

The elder Crane man smiled even brighter. "I'm proud of you son. I've always been proud of you. And I always will."

This time it was impossible to hold back his tears. Niles embraced his father, surprised when the hug was not only accepted, but returned. A tight hug, the way his mother used to hug him.

"I love you, Niles. Now go and tell Daphne that you love her, okay?"

Niles peered into the living room just as Daphne emerged from the kitchen carrying a cup of tea and his heart skipped a beat. It was time.


	5. Chapter 5

He smiled at his father one last time and then opened the door that led from the balcony to the living room. "Are you coming, Dad?"

"Nah, I'm just going to stand out here for a few minutes." Martin replied. "It's a nice night to gaze at the stars or just to see if I can see into the windows of the apartments across the way."

Niles chuckled, knowing that the latter statement was more truthful. "Okay, Dad. Well, I guess this is it." But as he lifted his foot to step over the threshold, he froze, unable to move any further. Damn, why was he so cowardly? And as usual Martin Crane took notice.

His father grinned. "That movie isn't going to last forever, Son."

A deep sigh escaped but Niles' heartbeat increased. "Right." He could feel his heart pounding as he opened the door and walked into the living room. "H-hello Daphne."

She looked up at once, her angelic smile nearly taking his breath away. "Oh, hello Dr. Crane. Am I bothering you? I can go into-."

"No." he said quickly, moving fluidly to her side. "May I?" He asked, gesturing to the empty space on the sofa beside her.

"Of course. Would you like some coffee or tea? I can-."

"No, thank you. That's not necessary. Daphne, I... um…" He touched her forearm and immediately drew back. He didn't want to do or say anything to make her feel uncomfortable.

"I-I mean, you're never a bother." He stammered, answering her earlier question. "You've never been a bother. You're an absolute angel."

She turned to him, and as she did so, the scent of her perfume wafted in his direction. And then her arms went around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. That's very sweet of you to say. Would you like to watch the movie with me?"

"W-would I… Oh… all right. What are you watching?"

"It's an old movie but it's so romantic. I've seen it a million times but I never get tired of it."

Intrigued, he turned his attention toward the television. "I don't believe I've ever seen this. Is that Gregory Peck?"

"Yes, isn't he handsome?" Daphne sighed. "I've never seen him in a romantic role before and it suits him so well. And Audrey Hepburn… She's stunning, as always. Look at the way they look at each other. That's love… true, unbridled love. And soon they'll have to say goodbye, perhaps never to see each other again."

His attention returned to her beautiful face. "Goodbye? Why?"

"Well, I'd hate to give away the ending and ruin it for you."

"No it's fine… I'd rather be prepared."

"They're from different classes; different backgrounds and yet something made him fall in love with her. He knows that he can never have her, for the two of them live in different worlds. But right now they want to be in each other's worlds. And look… Oh, this is the saddest part of all. Makes me cry every time I see it."

Immediately Niles reached into his pocket and removed his handkerchief, handing it to her.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane. You're so thoughtful." Daphne said, blotting the tears that were falling onto her cheeks. "Oh…. They're kissing, saying goodbye in the most romantic way possible. Isn't that-."

"Daphne?" He said; her name leaving his mouth in a squeak.

She turned to him curiously as he pointed the remote at the television and lowered the volume.

"Dr. Crane, what are you doing?"

"I-…."

"Dr. Crane, whatever you have to say-."

He was horrified when a sob escaped and he tried desperately to suppress it. But it was too late. She'd already seen him in the worst state imaginable. And the look of concern she wore made even more tears fall.

"Dr. Crane what's wrong?"

He sniffled and instinctively reached into his pocket, realizing at once that he'd given his handkerchief to Daphne. "Nothing, I-."

The handkerchief in her hand, she began blotting his cheek, making him weak with desire for her.

"What is it? Why are you crying?"

"I-."

"Is that what you and your father were talking about out there? Because if he upset you like this, I'll-."

"I'm in love with you, Daphne."


	6. Chapter 6

She drew back and stared at him in disbelief. "You what?"

Dear God, please don't make me say it again. His silent voice pleaded. But he knew that there was no going back now. "I-I'm in love with you. A-and I know it's wrong… I've known it ever since Frasier first introduced us, but I can't help the way I feel. And if you can't, won't or have no desire to return my feelings, I'll understand. I'll leave and never bother you again. I-I just… Talking to Dad tonight made me realize that time is in limited supply and that there's so much I want to say to you and so little time to say it. But Daphne-."

She rose from the sofa in one fluid motion and went to the large picture window behind the piano. It was then that he realized that his father was no longer standing outside. And then he noticed a small sound, coming from the direction of where Daphne stood. He too rose fluidly and went to her, stopping just short of where she was. His hand trembled as he reached for her back, his fingertips brushing lightly against her hair. She whirled around, and he was crushed to find that she was crying softly He'd upset her; he'd made her cry.

"Daphne I'm so sorry, I never meant to upset you. I just-."

"Hold me, Dr. Crane, please." She said, surprising him.

"H-hold you? I-um, well of course. I can-." His arms went slowly around her and held her close. And this time he was vaguely aware of her arms around him. "Daphne, are you all right?"

She sniffled and lifted her head. "I will be. This isn't your fault. It's no one's fault and there's nothing to be guilty for because neither of us has done anything wrong. I guess the movie just made me a little emotional and now this…"

"I knew this was wrong. I should have never-."

Her fingertips pressed lightly against his lips, causing a shiver of desire to go through his body. "Hush… I don't want you to blame yourself. This isn't your fault. I'm just… surprised by all of this."

He nodded wordlessly, feeling like a dejected little boy. But then her fingertips were on his chin, raising his gaze to meet hers.

"But it's a wonderful surprise."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I-it is?"

"Well, yes, of course. I mean, I never dreamed that you felt this way about me and I don't know what to think about it."

"You don't have to-."

"Of course I do. You deserve an answer; an honest, heartfelt answer as quickly as possible. I've always loved you, Dr. Crane. As a friend. You're kind, sweet and always there for me. And even when we have our disagreements or you drive me completely batty, I know I'll never find another friend. I don't want to lose that; ever. So if you don't mind, I'd like some time to let this all sink in."

He nodded again. "Absolutely, take all the time you need. And if the answer is no, I can accept that."

Her lips went to his cheek. "I'm completely flattered by all of this. You're wonderful, Dr. Crane. Don't ever forget that, all right?"

"Thank you, Daphne."

"Now, why don't we go inside and finish watching the movie, all right? Or better yet, we can watch something that you want to see. I promise-."

"Um, do you mind if I talk to Dad for a minute?"

"Not at all. I'll just make us some tea."

"I won't be long." He assured her.

"Take your time, Dr. Crane."

He made his way through the hallway until he came to his fathers' closed door. He pressed his ear to the door where he could hear rustling, indicating that his dad was still awake so he knocked gently.

"Yeah?"

He opened the door and went inside. "Dad, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, son. What is it?"

Niles tilted his head. "I think you know. I-um… I talked to Daphne."

"I saw. So what happened?"

"She um, started to cry. And then she told me that she had to think about it."

"That's understandable. It's a lot to take in."

"I love her, Dad." he blurted out.

"Then go to her, Niles. She'll let you know how she feels when she's ready. In the meantime, just be there for her. That's what love is all about anyway, being there for each other."

Niles chuckled. "Thanks."

His heart pounding in his chest, he made his way into the living room. But when he reached the sofa, he froze. Daphne was curled up on the sofa, sound asleep. The sight warmed his heart. He moved closer and when he reached her, he lifted the blanket that lay across the back and draped it over her body. And then he sat down beside her and wrapped her into his arms, boldly kissing her soft-as silk cheek.

Almost immediately she snuggled against him, her head pressed against his chest. "I love you, Dr. Crane." She said.

The words made him feel like he could fly. It wasn't the heartfelt answer he'd been longing for, nor did it seem that she was even aware that she'd spoken them. But they were a promise of things to come. And that promise was more wonderful than he could have ever hoped for.

 **THE END**


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